This invention relates to printing apparatus and, more particularly, to printing apparatus for use in printing upon continuous business forms stationery assemblies and on each form length thereof.
The use of continuous business forms stationery assemblies has increased significantly in recent years, in part due to the development of increasingly sophisticated forms handling equipment. Consequently, many forms, heretofore employed in so-called "unit set" form are now employed in continuous form.
Various types of such forms frequently require printing on each form length at a predetermined position, such as the imprintation of a validating signature on checks, stock certificates, or the like. Various printing devices have been developed for providing such imprintation, normally, just prior to some operation such as a bursting operation.
In the case of checks or stock certificates, etc., there has been one continual difficulty with the printing devices heretofore known. Such prior art printing devices have failed to provide for accurate registration of the form with respect to the printing device prior to startup of the printing run. That is, on such forms where it is desired to print, for example, a validating signature, at a predetermined position, prior art print devices have not permitted accurate setup on a time after time basis of the form with respect to the printing device such that for the first form length, and every form length thereafter, printing will occur exactly where desired.
While, with many types of forms, a few form lengths with misregistered printing can be disposed of, this is extremely inconvenient in he case of checks or stock certificates or other documents which are sequentially numbered. In the case of such documents, where there is improper registration, and one or more form lengths must be discarded, it is necessary to make an entry in a record as, for example, voiding the particular check or stock certificate.
Thus, there is a real need for a printing apparatus for continuous business forms stationery assemblies which provides accurate registration prior to the beginning of the run thereby eliminating the possibility of ruined form lengths and the resultant need for bookkeeping entries.